(1) Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with a device for advancing a rigid rod of thermoplastic adhesive comprising a guide which receives the rod and is provided with opposed slits through which jaws for pressing against the rod project, which jaws are mounted for movement along the guide and, during their advancing movement, move the rod therewith.
(2) Prior Art
Such devices are known in connection with machines currently in use in the manufacture of shoes, in which machines the cement rod is advanced to a melt chamber from which the molten adhesive is then supplied to the operating station.
In such devices the situation arises again and again that the adhesive rod is arrested after it has left the advancing device and especially before it reaches the melt chamber, so that the advancing of the rod under the action of the jaws leads to a wedging of the rod, which thus is pressed especially into the slit. The device is thus so completely choked up with the adhesive material that further advancing of the adhesive rod is rendered impossible. In order to render the device operative again, the obstruction must be cleared, which is difficult, having regard to its length and the slit. The adhesive must thus be bored out of the guide in a regular manner and be scratched out of the slit. The consequence of this is an extended interruption of work, which is especially disadvantageous where it is necessary for the shoe manufacturing machines to operate continuously.
The object of the present invention resides in improving the ability to clean the device described in the introduction.